NBA Trade Rumors: Knicks Pursuing Pelicans' Jrue Holiday? Hawks Ready To Deal Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver?

With less than two months remaining until the trade deadline, many NBA teams are either revving up for a playoff run and believe they are one move away while others are already preparing for summer free agency.

The New York Knicks reportedly appear to be following both strategies while the Atlanta Hawks are fearful of losing several future free agents and getting nothing in return.

The Knicks, struggling on defense and losers in five straight and just 2-8 in their last 10, could very well be in the market for a point guard both now and in the near future. With Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings both up for new deals this summer, New York could return to the idea of trading for New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday.

Knicks team president Phil Jackson has had a strong interest in acquiring Holiday, ESPN reported.

Rose’s injury history and likely exorbitant contract demands coupled with Jennings’ at times explosive but erratic offense does leave the Knicks without a reasonable long-term plan at floor general.

Holiday, too, will be an unrestricted free agent after this season but he could command far less than Rose or Jennings, allowing the Knicks and Jackson some wiggle room to fill out the roster better. New York has $76.3 million tied to player contracts next season and with the cap expected to rise to $102 million that leaves Jackson with lots of space.

Rose has remained mostly healthy and largely played well during his first season in New York, but a long-term deal could be too risky for the Knicks. Holiday’s averaged 14.7 points on 42.9 percent shooting with 7.3 assists over 21 games this season and the rebuilding Pelicans could be open to a deal.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are reportedly testing the market of forward Paul Millsap and guards Kyle Korver and Thabo Sefolosha, each of whom will be free agents this summer, and the team could make a deal if it believes none will return for the 2017-18 season, ESPN also reported.

Atlanta saw long-time All-Star forward Al Horford bolt for Boston last summer and received no assets in return, something it hopes to avoid with Millsap, Korver and Sefolosha.

The Hawks want to “gauge” the trade market for all three players before the trade deadline and it’s notable that Millsap already reportedly decided to opt-out of the final year of his current deal, worth $21.5 million next season.

The Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors have each shown interest in deals for Millsap, but a source told ESPN that the former believed Atlanta was asking too much for Millsap, making it difficult to foresee a move in the future.

The trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 23.